Although the first hospitals in Europe were created in the early Middle Ages, their development and proliferation did not take place until the eleventh and twelfth centuries, a period in which charitable institutions designated hospitale (a term that means, literally, guest house) multiplied. Unfortunately, most of them are no longer in operation today.
To find the oldest functioning hospital on our continent, we must go back to 1483, when a noble couple from Alcalá de Henares -Luisde Antezana and Doña Isabel deGuzmán- founded a house to cure the sick poor and travelers in their city.
A palace converted into a hospital
Upon discovering that he was not going to leave descendants, the couple installed the Antezana Hospital (also called Hospital de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia and Hospitalillo) inside their palace, on Calle Mayor. Upon the death of Doña Isabel de Guzmán, the entire building, including the rooms of its founders, were used to care for patients. Eventually, it became the first nursing corps in Spain.
The hospital houses a baroque church that can still be visited today. The small temple has four 17th century paintings by Pedro Valpuesta, depicting the miracles of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the most famous of all those who served there.
In addition to Saint Ignatius, other illustrious figures such as the surgeon Rodrigo de Cervantes, father of the creator of Don Quixote, saved lives at the Antezana Hospital. The doctor did not take a minute to get to work: Cervantes’ birthplace (today converted into an interesting museum) is right next door.
The hospital’s museum, which covers the entire historical complex, is well worth a visit. General admission costs 6€ and includes a tour of the apothecary’s shop, the dining room, the gardens, the women’s infirmary and the chambers of San Ignacio.